Windows 10 and 11 S Mode

[River Valley Computer]

OK - all you masterminds out there.

This is something three of us have not experienced before.

A Dell Inspiron 3511 - 16GB/128GB NVME

We replaced the NMVE with a 256GB. TRIED to install Windows 11 Home. It keeps coming up in S mode. Of course we can create a MS account and probably remove it but curious minds wonder why is it loading S Mode right from the start.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Sky-Knight]

The platform will install whatever OS the key in the BIOS is locked to... UNLESS you modify your installation materials to let you select something.

You need a file called ei.cfg with this content:

[Channel]
_Default
[VL]
0

Put the file in the sources folder on your installation USB. During install you'll have every version of Windows known to man, make sure you pick the right one or it won't activate.

 

[River Valley Computer]

Thanks Sky-Knight. Problem resolved. Thanks

 

[timeshifter]

I use an iODD for all my bootable media. That means I take an ISO file and drop it on there. Easy enough when just downloading the ISO using the Media Creation Tool. But modifying the ISO was a challenge last time I did it.

 

[Sky-Knight]

I use an iODD for all my bootable media. That means I take an ISO file and drop it on there. Easy enough when just downloading the ISO using the Media Creation Tool. But modifying the ISO was a challenge last time I did it.

I do installs so very infrequently these days, but when I was running my MSP full tilt I never went to an iODD specifically because I used four boot USBs total. Windows install, Clonezilla, GParted, and NGFW install.

The last three can collapse into an iODD pretty easily, but the Windows installs always needed the above modification. When you use a USB it's a drag drop, when you use the iODD you have to repackage the ISO while maintaining the boot sector... Microsoft made a tool that makes bootable ISO's easily for normal people for a reason, screw that crap! I just kept 4 USBs on a keychain!

 

[timeshifter]

Trying to install Pro on a Lenovo that came with Home. I think things have changed with 24H2. Here's what I found on Reddit:


1 - The "new" ei.cfg MUST be exactly like that :

[EditionID]
Pro
[Channel]
_Default
[VL]
0
2 - Add a new file in the same folder with this name pid.txt and he MUST be like that inside :

[PID]
Value=VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Now, the setup of W11 24H2 will install Windows 11 Pro, even if your PK in the embedded BIOS/UEFI is Home

 

[Sky-Knight]

Trying to install Pro on a Lenovo that came with Home. I think things have changed with 24H2. Here's what I found on Reddit:


1 - The "new" ei.cfg MUST be exactly like that :

[EditionID]
Pro
[Channel]
_Default
[VL]
0
2 - Add a new file in the same folder with this name pid.txt and he MUST be like that inside :

[PID]
Value=VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Now, the setup of W11 24H2 will install Windows 11 Pro, even if your PK in the embedded BIOS/UEFI is Home

That's not new, that's forcing the edition in advance as well as force feeding it the serial number. It's also an objective downgrade in functionality, because you cannot choose, it's hardwired to Pro. I saw this reported as a bug in the prerelease of 24H2. I have yet to experience it myself, I guess we'll see!

 

[timeshifter]

The menus you see when booting from external media to install Windows are different with version 24H2. Someone commented that the simpler way that doesn’t specify the product like you mentioned above works if you click a button that says use old set up screens.

I had tried that, but it failed. On further inspection, I noticed by EI.CFG file was a zero byte file. So I’m presuming I save it wrong somehow.

In other words, I didn’t get to try that. I needed to get Pro installed. In fact I think that’s all I really need is for it to install Pro on a machine that first shipped with Home

 

[Sky-Knight]

The menus you see when booting from external media to install Windows are different with version 24H2. Someone commented that the simpler way that doesn’t specify the product like you mentioned above works if you click a button that says use old set up screens.

I had tried that, but it failed. On further inspection, I noticed by EI.CFG file was a zero byte file. So I’m presuming I save it wrong somehow.

In other words, I didn’t get to try that. I needed to get Pro installed. In fact I think that’s all I really need is for it to install Pro on a machine that first shipped with Home

Fascinating, I'll have to keep an eye out!